Method of preparing arched structures

ABSTRACT

Arched or barrel vault structures are prepared from laminated panels having a single rigid skin and a deformable core by engaging one edge of the panel in a frame or base, forcing the opposite edge toward the restrained edge, causing the panel to bow to a sufficient degree that both edges are restrained in an arched configuration, installing a number of panels in closely adjacent edge to edge relationship, providing an internal reinforcing joint at the panel junctures.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,763,618 Bennett et al. 45 O t, 9, 1973 [5 METHOD OF PREPARING ARCHED 3,120,682 2/1964 Reffell 52/2 STRUCTURES 3,256,649 6/1966 Webb 52/2 3,464,168 9/1969 Russell et a1 52/86 X [75] Inventors: Robert B. Bennett, Saginaw;

ai {l walmg Mldland both Primary ExaminerAlfred C. Perham IC Attorney-Griswold & Burdick, Richard G. Waterman [73 I Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company, and Robert B. Ingraham Midland, Mich. [22] Filed: Feb. 22, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [2]] App], M 117,363 Arched or barrel vault structures are prepared from laminated panels having a single rigid skin and a deformable core by engaging one edge of the panel in a [52] US. Cl 52/741, 52/86, 52/222 frame or base, forcing the opposite edge toward the Int. 1. restrained g causing the panel to bow to a suffi of Search 86, cient degree that both edges are restrained in an 52/741 29/449 arched configuration, installing a number of panels in closely adjacent edge to edge relationship, providing [56] References cued an internal reinforcing joint at the panel junctures.

UNITED STATES PATENTS D 3,057,119 10/1962 Kessler 52/86 x 6 Clams 5 F'gures 2,415,240 2/1947 Fouhy 52/86 X 2,733,482 2/1956 Doman et al. 52/86 X PATENIED 9l975 3,763,618

INVENTORS. Rober/ 8. germ e BY Jfe OAen .1 14/0/07 METHOD OF PREPARING ARCIIED STRUCTURES A wide variety of buildings have been prepared from prefabricated components such as sandwich panels, metal, plastic or wood modules and the like. However, many of these structures do not lendthemselves readily to variations in size and materials of construction. A particularly useful building is often referred to as a barrel vault structure and in essence is a segment of a cylinder supported on a base wherein the cylindrical segment provides the roof of the structure and circular segments of one base are employed for the ends. The present invention is directed to an improved method for the preparation of such structures and improved structures.

It would be desirable if there were available a method for the preparation of generally barrel vaultlike structures.

It would also be desirable if such a method permitted a wide variation in dimension for any particular panel employed.

It would also be desirable if there were available an improved method for the preparation of barrel vaultlike structures employing prefabricated panels.

It would further be desirable if such structures exhibited a high degree of rigidity for the materials employed therein.

These benefits and other advantages in accordance with the present invention are achieved in a method for the preparation of vault-like structures from a plurality of generally rectangular panels, the panels having a generally rigid skin thereon adhered to a resiliently deformable core, the steps of the method comprising providing a base member, the base member having a first side and a second side, the first and second sides having restraining means adapted to restrain a laminar panel placed therein, supporting a plurality of the panels on a moveable support, each of the panels having first ends and second ends, first sides and second sides and a length, the length being greater than the shortest distance between the restraining means of the base, each of the panels having the skin disposed remote from the base, orienting the panels on the moveable support so that their length is generally parallel to the restraining means, rotating the uppermost of the plurality of panels about 90 degrees, engaging the first end of the rotated panel in one of the restraining means, applying force to the second end of the panel to cause the panel to bow to an extent sufficient to position the second end of the panel in the remaining restraining means, moving the support and plurality of panels, rotating the uppermost of the plurality of panels and subsequently installing a plurality of such panels in bowed edge to edge relationship, and beneficially applying a reinforcement on the concave side of said panels at the junction of adjacent panels to thereby provide a relatively rigid vault-like structure.

Also contemplated within the scope of the invention is a vault-like structure, the vault-like structure comprising a base, the base having first and second opposed, spaced apart panel restraining means, a plurality of panels, each of said panels being arched in a like direction, each of the panels having first and second ends engaging the restraining means, a rigid reinforcement securing adjacent edges of panels, and the reinforcement being disposed on the concave side of the arched panels.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts an initial stage in the preparation of a building in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 depict further steps in the erection of structuresin accordance with the invention.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a reinforcement member between two panels installed in the structure of FIG. 4.

In FIG. 1 there is schematically depicted the initial construction of a barrel vault structure wherein there is shown a base 10. The base 10 is set upon the ground or other convenient support. The base 10 has a first end 11, a second end 12, a first side 13 and a second side 14. A first panel retainer or retaining means 15 is dis posed on the side 13 and a second panel retainer or retaining means 16 is disposed on the second side 14. A moveable support such as a wagon or motor truck 18 is disposed on the base 10. The truck 18 carries a plurality of vertically stacked panels 21..Each of the panels has a single, generally rigid, high tensile strength skin on the upper side and a compressible core or support member on the lower side.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the base 10 wherein the uppermost panel 21 has been rotated about degrees on the truck 18. The panel 21 is sup ported by a plurality of panels 21 stacked beneath.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the arrangement of FIG. 2 wherein a first end of the panel 21 has been engaged in the retaining means 15 and the second end of the panel 21 is being forced toward the first end by means of a cable 25 and truck-mounted winch 26 affixed to the truck 18. As the cable and the winch 25 and 26 draw the second end of the panel 21 toward the retainer 16, generally it is desirable to support the second end of the panel to prevent abrasively damaging the panel edge if the panel is sufficiently heavy.

FIG. 4 shows the panel 21 fully arched with the first end engaging the retainer 15 and the second edge engaging the second retainer 16 and the panel in its final position.

In a manner similar to that depicted in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, successive panels are positioned to provide a structure of a desired length. As is readily apparent to one skilled in the art, the curvature of the barrel vault may be readily varied for a given length of panel by varying the distance between the retaining means 15 and 16.

In FIG. 5 there is depicted a fragmentary view of the structure 30 formed of panels in accordance with the present invention. The structure 30 comprises a first arched panel 31 in edge to edge relationship with a second arched panel 31. The panels 31 have a resiliently deformable core 32 such as foamed synthetic resin, paper honeycomb, metal honeycomb or the like, and a rigid surface or skin 33 such as aluminum, plywood, glass, reinforced plastics of the like. The panels 31 abut in edge to edge relationship at a joint 34. At the joint 34 is shown a reinforcing member 35. The reinforcing member 35 comprises a first elongate curved member 36 conforming and affixed to the concave side of the panels 31 adjacent the joint 34 and remote from the skin 33. A second elongate arched member 37 is spaced from the member 36 by a plurality of members 38. The members 36 and 37 are each affixed to the members 38 thereby forming a lightweight rigid base.

Although as depicted in FIG. the stiffening member 35 is of wood and of a construction particularly convenient to a one-of-a-kind construction, prefabricated wood, metal or glass or reinforced plastic stiffening members can be employed with substantial benefit.

A wide variety of panels may be used in the present invention. The panels have two essential features: (1) a rigid outer or external skin material, and (2) a support material which can be resiliently deformed when the composite panel is bent in such a manner that the skin material is disposed on the convex side of the bend. Suitable skin materials are sheet aluminum, steel, plywood, glass reinforced plastics such as glass reinforced polyester resin and the like. It is essential that the panels in accordance with the present invention be asymmetric; that is, have a single rigid skin disposed on one side thereof and not two rigid skins on either side of the core. Suitable core material includes foamed plastics including foamed polystyrene, foamed polyurethane beneficially of the rigid variety, foamed polypropylene, foamed nylon, resin impregnated paper honeycomb, metal honeycomb and the like.

Fabricating structures in accordance with the present invention results in structures that are exceptionally rigid relative to the amount of material employed when compared to conventional arched construction. A variation which is particularly advantageous of the previously descrived mode of construction is when a second surface sheet is disposed on the side of the panel which is to be the concave side, without any effort to adhere the sheet thereto until it has been arched, such as is shown in FIG. 4; at which time by judicious bowing of the second unattached or internal skin, adhesive may be applied to the second skin and adhered to the crushable core to provide a structure of exceptional rigidity. Advantageously, after initial assembly of the panels conventional roofing may be applied to the convex face of the structure, or alternately, the joints between the panels are sealed by means of a conventional adhesive sealing strip.

As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the present invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. For this reason, it is to be fully understood that all of the foregoing is intended to be merely illustrative and is not to be construed or interpreted as being restrictive iir otherwise limiting of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A method for the preparation of vault-like structures from a plurality of generally rectangular panels, the panels having a generally rigid skin thereon adhered to a resiliently deformable core, the steps of the method comprising providing a base member, the base member having a first side and a second side, the first and second sides having restraining means to restrain a laminar panel placed therein,

supporting a plurality of the panels on a moveable support, each of the panels having first ends and second ends, first sides and second sides and a length, the length being greater than the shortest distance between the restraining means of the base, each of the panels having the skin disposed remote from the base,

orienting the panels on the moveable support so that their length is generally parallel to the restraining means,

rotating the uppermost of the plurality of panels about engaging the first end of the rotated panel in one of the restraining means,

applying force to the second end of the panel to cause the panel to bow to a sufficient extent to position the second end of the panel in the remaining restraining means,

moving the support and plurality of panels,

rotating the uppermost of the plurality of panels and subsequently installing a plurality of such panels in bowed edge to edge relationship.

2. The method of claim 1 including the step of applying a reinforcement on the concave side of said panels at the junction of adjacent panels to thereby provide a generally rigid vault-like structure.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the core is a foam plastic.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the reinforcement extends about the entire length of the panels.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the moveable support is a truck.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the force applied to the second end of the panel is applied by means of a truck-mounted winch and cable. 

1. A method for the preparation of vault-like structures from a plurality of generally rectangular panels, the panels having a generally rigid skin thereon adhered to a resiliently deformable core, the steps of the method comprising providing a base member, the base member having a first side and a second side, the first and second sides having restraining means to restrain a laminar panel placed therein, supporting a plurality of the panels on a moveable support, each of the panels having first ends and second ends, first sides and second sides and a length, the length being greater than the shortest distance between the restraining means of the base, each of the panels having the skin disposed remote from the base, orienting the panels on the moveable support so that their length is generally parallel to the restraining means, rotating the uppermost of the plurality of panels about 90*, engaging the first end of the rotated panel in one of the restraining means, applying force to the second end of the panel to cause the panel to bow to a sufficient extent to position the second end of the panel in the remaining restraining means, moving the support and plurality of panels, rotating the uppermost of the plurality of panels and subsequently installing a plurality of such panels in bowed edge to edge relationship.
 2. The method of claim 1 including the step of applying a reinforcement on the concave side of said pAnels at the junction of adjacent panels to thereby provide a generally rigid vault-like structure.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the core is a foam plastic.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the reinforcement extends about the entire length of the panels.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the moveable support is a truck.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the force applied to the second end of the panel is applied by means of a truck-mounted winch and cable. 